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Guidelines for sites linking to mayoclinic.orgIntro: "You have a lump. You have breast cancer." Those are words many women fear that they'll one day hear from their doctor. Now imagine how difficult it would be to get that diagnosis and then find out you're pregnant. Can a pregnant woman get the life saving chemotherapy she needs without harming her unborn child? Doctors at Mayo Clinic have the answers.
| Video | Audio |
| Total running time 1:27 | JOYCE KUSKE FOUND THE LUMP, THE BREAST CANCER HERSELF. |
Joyce Kuske Pregnant with Breast Cancer |
"TWO WEEKS LATER I FOUND OUT I WAS PREGNANT." |
| SURGERY WENT WELL. JOYCE HAD A LUMPECTOMY AND THERE WAS NO SPREAD OF THE DISEASE. BUT DR. JUDITH KAUR SAID THE TUMOR WAS BIG ENOUGH TO WARRANT CHEMOTHERAPY. | |
Judith Kaur, M.D. Mayo Clinic Oncologist |
"BECAUSE WHENEVER A LUMP IS GREATER THAN ONE CENTEMETER IN SIZE, OR 1/2 INCH, THOSE PATIENTS HAVE A MUCH BETTER SURVIVAL IF WE INSTITUTE A SHORT DOSE OF CHEMOTHERAPY AFTER SURGERY." |
| BUT BEFORE CHEMO BEGAN AN ULTRASOUND TECHNICIAN TOLD JOYCE UNANTICIPATED NEWS. | |
Joyce Kuske |
"HE SAYS, 'WELL HERE'S BABY NUMBER ONE.' BABY NUMBER ONE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BABY NUMBER ONE? HE GOES, 'DIDN'T YOU KNOW YOU WERE HAVING TWINS?'" |
Standup Vivien Williams Reporting |
PREGNANT WTH TWINS WITH THE NEED FOR CHEMOTHERAPY. NOW, IF YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DRINK A GLASS OF WINE WHEN YOU'RE PREGNANT, HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE CHEMO WITHOUT HARMING YOUR UNBORN CHILD? |
Judith Kaur, M.D. Mayo Clinic Oncologist |
"IF CHEMOTHERAPY IS GIVEN IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER THEN INVARIABLY IT IS VERY TOXIC AND EITHER THERE IS SPONTANEOUS ABORTION OR MALFORMATIONS THAT OCCUR." |
| BUT IF YOU WAIT UNTIL THE SECOND OR THIRD TRIMESTER, IT'S MUCH SAFER. | |
| Joyce Kuske | "I CALL THEM MY MIRACLE BABIES." |
| MIRACLES BECAUSE JUST LIKE JOYCE, LITTLE GRANT AND CALEB ARE SURVIVORS TOO. NOT OF CANCER, BUT OF THE TREATMENT THAT SAVED THEIR MOM'S LIFE. | |
| FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS. |
Tag: After the twins were born, Joyce also had radiation treatment. But she was able to postpone it for the first few weeks in order to breast feed during that time.
Again, Joyce's babies were unharmed by chemo because it was given during the second and third trimesters. Unfortunately, if a woman is diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer, she may have to begin treatment earlier. And although waiting reduces risk of harm, there is a slight increase in the risk of early delivery.
Dr. Kaur says her patients often ask if they can wait until after the baby is born to begin chemotherapy. She says in many cases waiting is not worth the risk. Her goal is to end up with a healthy baby and a healthy mom. For more information, log onto our Web site at ...
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